Help Me, Help You

Many of us remember this scene in Jerry McGuire.  Tom Cruise's character is hanging on by a thread and trying to get his only client, Rod Tidwell, to understand that he needs help to get his client where he wants to be.  This week I was twice met with an opportunity to help people by helping myself first.  In the interest of full transparency I will poke fun at myself and let all of you know what was going on in my mind.

This week has been the Mountain State Fair here in Western North Carolina.  To help those not in the area, this is an opportunity to see animal life, carnival rides (which may or may not have been properly safety inspected),  local vendors, and eat either heavily smoked or ultra deep-fried foods (both of which are equally able to cause explosive diarrhea).  I know what you are asking, "Why would you ever not go to this slice of Americana that you have given such a glowing recommendation of?"  Yes of course I went.  I went because I did want to deprive my son of the ability to have an annual chance meeting with a "Carnie" (not the same Carnie that set the world on fire in Wilson Phillips), nor did I want him to miss the awesome good marginal bad horrific experience of having a deep-fried Oreo cookie.  So after all of this you are probably wondering how much money one would have to spend to take a family of three on this journey of memory making?  $17.00!  Don't worry I didn't spend $17.00 dollars.  I was thrifty!  A local supermarket, Ingles, gives away free tickets for every five canned food items you bring in.  I decided that since this was a one day only deal that I would make certain to take advantage of this opportunity.  Once I got in the store I had to find the perfect blend of value and reasonably edible canned food item for someone down on their luck.  The cheapest can I found was stewed tomatoes that were 3 for $1.00, but I am sure the Bible says something about man not be able to live on tomatoes alone (that HAS to be right, yeah?....not important since I have become more charismatic I just ignore everything in the Bible that talks about anything but the Holy Spirit, talking in tongues, and exorcism) so I decided that Pork and Beans would be the best blend of protein and profit. (I do not really ignore things in the Bible on purpose, the past remark was said for purposes of ironic humor you know since explanations make everything funnier)

Today my wife and I were in Pigeon Forge, TN.  We went to the outlet stores to find some clothes for our son (this is the same kid that told me this week that he could "spell" Mississippi with his eyes closed without a hint of irony in his voice my wife and I held our laughter, barely), and much to my surprise we could spend a dollar and get 25% off of any one item.  The dollar went to cancer research, and I think research is great, but I admittedly was more concerned with saving money.  I was shocked that only certain stores were doing the fundraiser.  I asked more than one store "Why they loved cancer?"  Of course I followed this up with a laugh so they wouldn't think I really thought they loved cancer, but one store told me they weren't doing it because they were going out of business.  At first I was mildly offended that companies wouldn't give the discount, but I was more offended by the fact that I really was more concerned with the discount than cancer research.

Seriously, I am a guy that cares about the community a lot but too many times I get in the way.  I want what is "best for me" and I fail to realize that best for me and best for others are two entirely different things.  Spiritual maturity dictates that concern for my own plight should be somewhere between a tertiary concern and an afterthought.

Brothers and sisters our visions for how we are going to reach people have to be in congruity with the way we live our life especially when all the people that know us aren't looking.  Today I am praying for the integrity needed to live the life God wants me to live no matter who is in front me.  I will be looking more purposely to help you and making sure that help me is dwindling from my mindset.